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The Steelers could find value @ TE

By Alan Robinson

Published: Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 11:50 p.m.
Updated 12 hours ago

Jarvis Jones? Kenny Vaccaro? Cordarrelle Patterson? Tavon Austin?

No, no, no and no.

For all of their multiple needs  and they might have more than in any recent draft  the Steelers simply must take one player if he is available with the No. 17 pick in the NFL Draft, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

And that's Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert.

Eifert would almost be a luxury to a team that already has Heath Miller  who caught a team-high 71 passes last season  even though it is uncertain when Miller will return from a torn ACL. But to Kiper, he would be a must-take pick.

If he's there for the Steelers, he helps that offense. He helps Big Ben (Roethlisberger) a lot, Kiper said. You need two tight ends in this league. Look at all the options that teams have with two tight ends, how viable and problematic for a defense having two very good tight ends is.

For all the attention given Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o during and after the season, Eifert separated himself from the rest of the tight ends at the NFL Scouting Combine in February and likely is to be the first Fighting Irish player taken in the draft.

I'm lucky to be coming in at a time when the type of tight end I am is being used quite a bit in the passing game, Eifert said. But (I'm) also a guy that can stay in the game on every down throughout the game and can block, create mismatches in the passing game. ... I strive to be a complete tight end.

Zach Ertz (6-foot-6, 250) is the same size as Eifert and put up huge numbers at Stanford not only with Andrew Luck at quarterback but after him, too. Eifert and Ertz probably will go 1-2 among tight ends, though Ertz probably won't go until the second round.

Both these kids are what today's tight ends are all about, an ability to move around and do different things, NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. They're both big enough to line up on the line if you ask them to.

He added, I thought Eifert did a better job blocking this year than he did in past years and a little better job than Ertz.

But, Ertz said in his defense, At Stanford, we were a run-first offense. I took a lot of pride in my run blocking. As a receiver, that stuff kind of came more naturally.

Another intriguing tight end is Gavin Escobar, who might have the best hands of the group. He is one of the few San Diego State players of recent vintage to pass up their senior season to turn pro. He made 51 catches as a sophomore and 42 more last season.

Tight ends who could go in the mid to late rounds yet offer value include Nick Casa, who was more of a blocker than a receiver at Colorado, and Kyle Jurszczyk, who was employed mostly as a receiver at Harvard only to unexpectedly show off his blocking skills at the Senior Bowl.

Alan Robinson is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at arobinson@tribweb.com or via Twitter @arobinson_Trib.

“If he's there for the Steelers, he helps that offense. He helps Big Ben (Roethlisberger) a lot,” Kiper said. “You need two tight ends in this league. Look at all the options that teams have with two tight ends, how viable and problematic for a defense having two very good tight ends is.”

He could be the safe pick for the Steelers contribute immediately and be the eventual replacement for Heath Miller, not only that but give our offense another weapon for defenses to account for.
As of now we don't have a real threat on offense with a lack in our run game, and once defenses take AB out of the offense by putting extra coverage on him that leaves Sanders to carry the burden which may not be enough, we need additional weapons on offense to counter what opposing defenses will do.

I liked Tyler before Kiper announced he could be the Steelers pick, and it probably blew it apart by him saying it, but even with that I still think he would be our safe pick without any off field baggage, current injury, to be an asset to an offense like our Steelers.
If there is another position the Steelers take in round one that is the best player at his position I wouldn't have a problem with that, but Eifert IS the best TE in this draft and could actually be the BPA available when we select.

Yeah, we could get a TE in the later rounds, well you can say that about any position, but I'm talking the best at his position and Tyler fits the bill.

Of course, I've been down with this idea for a while myself. I like the idea of getting the best at his position who should be able to start right away over the almost pedestrian likes of Spaeth and Paulson. We don't know how long Heath will be out and what level of performance he'll be able to provide when he does get back.

My only caveat is that Haley actually uses the weapon. If they just bring the kid in to be an extra blocker, they could go several ways there. I suspect that wouldn't be the case, though.

Eifert looks very good as a receiver, but from what I've seen of his blocking, he would not be a week 1 starter unless he drastically improves. He had a lot of David Johnsonesque blocks where he went through a hole and hit nobody.

Personally, I couldn't care less whether a first round pick starts in his first week or even in his first year, but I know that many people see that as a benefit to the Eifert pick in particular.

Eifert looks very good as a receiver, but from what I've seen of his blocking, he would not be a week 1 starter unless he drastically improves. He had a lot of David Johnsonesque blocks where he went through a hole and hit nobody.

Personally, I couldn't care less whether a first round pick starts in his first week or even in his first year, but I know that many people see that as a benefit to the Eifert pick in particular.

Who cares if he can block. The kid can fill the big WR void from day 1 and be an addition to our Red Zone offense. If we still had BA, BA would try to turn him into a blocker. I think Haley would line him up out wide and create some mismatches and play to his strengths.

Of course, I've been down with this idea for a while myself. I like the idea of getting the best at his position who should be able to start right away over the almost pedestrian likes of Spaeth and Paulson. We don't know how long Heath will be out and what level of performance he'll be able to provide when he does get back.

My only caveat is that Haley actually uses the weapon. If they just bring the kid in to be an extra blocker, they could go several ways there. I suspect that wouldn't be the case, though.

You share some of my thoughts. I don't want "pedestrian" at the TE position. I want someone who can make it a weapon that opponents have to gameplan to take away. We all talk about how we "lost" the ability to draw coverage away from Brown. Well someone like Eifert at TE would draw a safety away from the deep zone because Eifert would be too fast for LBs and to big for Safeties.

Playing Fantasy Football does not qualify you to be the in the front office or on the coaching staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are professionals and you are not!